1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to an image processing module, an image generation method, and an ultrasonic imaging apparatus using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ultrasonic imaging apparatus emits ultrasonic waves to a specific target portion of an object such as a human body, collects an ultrasonic wave reflected by the target portion, and acquires a tomographic image of various tissues or structures within the object, for example, a tomographic image of various internal organs and soft tissues, by using information regarding the collected ultrasonic wave. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus is inexpensive, small-sized, does not emit radiation such as X-rays, and is capable of reproducing an image of an interior of an object in real time. For this reason, the ultrasonic imaging apparatus has been widely used in a field of medicine.
The ultrasonic imaging apparatus may acquire an image according to the following method. Electric signals are converted into ultrasonic waves using ultrasonic wave generation units, such as transducers, of an ultrasonic probe of the ultrasonic imaging apparatus. The converted ultrasonic waves are emitted to a target portion. Ultrasonic sensors, such as transducers, receive the ultrasonic waves reflected by the target portion and convert the received ultrasonic waves into electric signals to acquire multi-channel ultrasonic signals. Beamforming is performed on the ultrasonic signals. That is, arrival time differences among the ultrasonic signals collected by the ultrasonic sensors are corrected and a predetermined weight is added to each ultrasonic signal to emphasize a signal from a specific position and attenuate a signal from another position and the beamformed ultrasonic signals are focused. Accordingly, the ultrasonic imaging apparatus acquires an ultrasonic image based on the beamformed ultrasonic signal.